Jones County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 26.1 | 20,900 people · 73rd most distressed in Iowa
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Jones County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 26.1 — 2929th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within Iowa, it ranks 73rd of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jones County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 31.2 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 31.2
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 23
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 18
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 29
Economic Vitality 27.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 1
Business Formation Rate 69
House Price Change (YoY) 57
Housing Cost Burden 26.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 16
Consumer Credit Distress 25.5
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 20
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 1
Subprime Credit Population 24
Legal Distress 18.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jones County
Jones County, IA 26.1 Healthy —
Clinton County, IA 49.5 Normal +23.4
Linn County, IA 38.1 Normal +12.0
Dubuque County, IA 33.6 Healthy +7.5
Cedar County, IA 28.9 Healthy +2.8
Jackson County, IA 26.7 Healthy +0.6
Delaware County, IA 24.4 Healthy -1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jones County
Wabasha County, MN 26.1 Healthy +0.0
Jefferson County, ID 26.1 Healthy +0.0
Seward County, NE 26.2 Healthy +0.1
Wasatch County, UT 26.0 Healthy -0.1
Shelby County, IL 26.2 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Jones County as a CSV file.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Jones County, Iowa?

    Jones County has a County Distress Index score of 26.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,929th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jones County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jones County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 31.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Jones County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jones County (26.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clinton County, IA (49.5); Linn County, IA (38.1); Dubuque County, IA (33.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Healthy zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Jones County's score of 26.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Jones County's CDI score?

    Jones County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Jones County?

    Jones County, Iowa has a population of approximately 20,900 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.